By Isaac Errett
In his editorial for the start of 1875, Christian Standard’s founding editor, Isaac Errett, offered 5 suggestions for his readers to embrace to enable them to “consecrate” themselves anew to Christ’s service in the forthcoming year. Though Errett’s suggestions are nearly 150 years old (originally published on January 2, 1875), we believe his comments are just as valuable today as they were when they were first published.
“THE OPENING YEAR”
We tender to all our readers the congratulations of the season, and our best wishes for their temporal and spiritual welfare. The new dress in which we make our appearance, is but indicative, we trust of the freshness, taste and attractiveness that shall characterize the contents of our journal. We desire to make it an efficient helper in spiritual life to all who read it, and as the beginning of the year is a good time for suggestions, we offer a few for the consideration of all who desire to grow in grace and in knowledge.
1. Make this year one of diligent effort in the cultivation of personal piety. We live, these days, too much upon excitement and rely far too much on sensational. We live too much in public, and depend on what we receive from public sources for our growth. It is a great mistake, and likely to prove a fatal one. Not the earthquake, nor the tempest, nor the fire is that in which God is found; but “the still, small voice.” “Enter into the closet, and shut the door,” is our Lord’s instruction. We need to be alone with God. The scene of transfiguration is on the mountain summit, away from the gaze of the multitude and the noisy strifes of the world.
2. There is great need of family culture. It is sadly, sinfully neglected. One of the great secrets of formalism and the love of sensationalism is found here. We are seeking to find compensations for the loss of religious life at home—some method of submitting the hard, ungodly heart we carry to church by the extra attractions of the public worship. It is a sham. A heart that neglects God all week can not, by any resort to spiritual stimulants, recover lost ground on the Lord’s day. God is not to be imposed on by such offerings. Nor will our children be imposed on. They will learn to despise such professions of religion, or, if they are saved from this, will have but shallow and unworthy conceptions of religious life, and be themselves hopeless formalists. The acknowledgement of God in our homes, and the daily accumulation of knowledge and religious thought and sentiment, is that which tells on character, and forms a heritage of blessed memories which will be worth more to our children than thousands of gold and silver. The neglect of home culture, and wild rage for fashionable dissipations to while away the tedious hours, are among the very discouraging signs of the times. “Parents, bring up your children in the nurture and admonition of the Lord,” is a precept fearfully neglected and despised. Who can be a faithful disciple of Jesus and be guilty of such neglect? We shall have enough to do to save our children from the maddening excitements of the world, with all the counteracting influences of homes consecrated to the service of God.
3. Determine to be a worker in the church. If others do not call you out, seek some quiet way of working for Christ in which you can practice self-denial, benevolence, and patience, and do good to others. The world is full of opportunities. Seize on the first good opportunity, and God will open the way.
4. Concern yourself for a perishing world. Sin and crime abound on every hand. Unbelief is rampant. Worldliness is all conquering. The church needs to be more aggressive. Her members must be more in earnest to contend for the faith once delivered to the saints, to send the truth abroad over the land, to carry it to the homes of the people, and to exemplify it in honest, pure humble, peaceable lives. Count one in this one. Let it enlist your purse, your prayers, your personal labors.
5. Make the future an improvement on the past. Be not content with your acquisitions or performances. Study more, pray more, spend more for Christ, work more than you have ever done. There are great conflicts ahead of us—we must be ready for them. We need intelligent, prayerful, benevolent, humble men and women, who will save their time and their money from worldly dissipation, pride and extravagance, and give them to God. Let us consecrate our lives anew to his service, and dare and do great things in his name.
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